Ben Roberts-Smith granted permission to attend Afghanistan War commemoration

A judge has granted Ben Roberts-Smith permission to attend the National Commemorative Service at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The event marks the 25th anniversary of the start of the Afghanistan War.

Roberts-Smith, a former Special Air Service Regiment corporal and Victoria Cross awardee, is currently facing five counts of the war crime of murder. The modification of his bail conditions allows him to attend the service, where Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to deliver a speech paying tribute to veterans.

The commemoration aims to honor the 47 Australian personnel who died and the 263 who were wounded during operations in Afghanistan. The event is expected to be one of the largest gatherings of veterans outside of Anzac Day, though the presence of Roberts-Smith may become a point of contention due to ongoing war crimes investigations and the government's $300 million allocation for such prosecutions.